Physical Activity Tools for Schools

Comprehensive school health is a best practice approach that is proven to be most effective to create a healthy school environment for developing lifelong healthy habits. It involves the whole school community in developing and carrying out an action plan of health-promoting activities for an identified priority health topic. One of these topics can be creating a more active school environment.

• Physical Activity Comprehensive School Health Framework   
• Healthy Schools Physical Activity Factsheet
• Childhood Injury Prevention Resources
• Safety and Physical Activity In Schools Factsheet
• Eat Well and Be Active! Tracking Tool, is offered free, by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. This reusable wipe-off tracking tool encourages students to meet daily recommendations for eating well and being active. The tool is designed as a medieval-themed challenge for Grade 4 students.

1) In-Class

Curriculum Support and Classroom Resources

The Health and Physical Education Curriculum for Grades 1-8 in Ontario was revised in 2010 as well as related resources to support this curriculum. Some key resources to help incorporate physical activity throughout the school day are:

• *New Ontario Health and Physical Activity Education Curriculum
• Ontario Physical Health and Education Association (OPHEA)
• Childhood Injury Prevention Resources
• Teacher Physical Activity Resource List 
• Play Sport is a website with great activities to teach children games by playing games! Search for activities based on the equipment you have, the skills you want to teach and the difficulty or complexity of the game or the space you have.

Programs

• Active-8, for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students, consists of eight pre-planned lessons for each grade including warm-ups, cool-downs and lots of fun physical activity challenges that engage all students, regardless of ability and skill level.
• Everyone Jump, for Grade 5 classrooms, is a free cross-curricular resource, designed by teachers for teachers, to raise awareness of the importance of regular physical activity and healthy eating in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

• Power to Play! is a superhero-themed program encouraging healthy eating and physical activity for Kindergarten to Grade 3 children.
• Power to Explore, is a junior-level cross-curricular healthy-living program, gives students the power to explore their personal food and activity choices. Students build awareness and develop skills to improve health. Includes materials for Grades 4, 5 and 6.
• Power4Bones is a free, cross-curricular program for Grade 5 students. This award-winning program provides your students with a fun and innovative way to learn about bone health.

• PowerSkills, is a program available for Grades 4 to 8. PowerSkills include five separate activity sheets that can be used throughout the school year. The classroom resource promotes participation in a range of physical activities, while meeting curriculum expectations.

2) Whole School

Initiatives that involve the whole school are great as students and teachers learn and experience physical activity together. These are an important part of your comprehensive plan.

• Skills Posters, are 5 full-colour posters that provide a great way for students to learn basketball skills through fun, cooperative group activities. Teachers can use the posters in gym classes and as event stations at a Hoops for Heart Event. The posters are available in downloadable format.
• Hoops for Heart gets students active and they can earn cool prizes by raising funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Participating schools can earn points for school resources (classroom supplies, electronics and sporting equipment).
• Jump Rope for Heart teaches children the importance of healthy living through skipping and fundraising for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

For more information please contact
York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653, TTY 1-866-252-9933

Healthy Schools  |  Getting Started  |  Topics & Resources